Gas contact of conveyed particulate solids



Dec. 8, 1964 G. v. BARDET 3,160,483

GAS CONTACT OF' CONVEYED PARTICULATE SOLIDS Filed April 6. 1959 6Sheets-Sheet 1 i: I| l o i L l I w 1= l: :e E I 1| D I N lli 3| "i Q; nLL II l |I I w l1 I Q I l y Il 'l I l Q l l 'l l i wr l g 5r `r\ J vINVENToR.

@Eo/PGE 1./ BARDET g 'L l l EC/VOFF 8 SL/CK Ilr v ,ATTO NEy' cigno I `BWA MEMBER 0E THE E/RM Dec. 8, 1964 G. v. SARDET 3,160,483

@As CONTACT oF coNvEYED PARTICULATI; somos Filed April 6, 1959 6Sheets-Sheet 2 I m` v 59K y I I.' i N\I IPP" I I I I I g L I I I I I I II I N I I I I I I I l I V iv I f I I I N I m r I \`I` l I I I @j I I I II I I I O .I I I I LI I I i I I I" I I I I i I I \I .f` I I I l I .fg Iv I In l N I INVENTOR. "Lf L I GEORGE I( BARDE T co f" Q y ECKHOFF 8SUCK Y Q v/ l ATTOR/I/ I/s I I AMEMBER 0F THF F/RM Dec. 8, 1964 G. v.BARDET GAS CONTACT OF' CONVEYED PARTICULATE SOLIDS Filed April 6.

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. GEORGE L/ BARDE T EC/(HOFF SL/CK ATTORNEYS@1W/ A MEMBER 0E THE F//PM Dec. 8, 1964 G. v. BARDET GAS CONTACT OFCONVEYED PARTICULATE SOLIDS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 6, 1959 /IOB uE a m Ew M mag .V.FR.0 mfmdnm W m5 M 6 Y A Vl Du Dec. 8, 1964 G. v.BARDET 3,160,483

' GAS CONTACT OF' CONVEYED PARTICULATESOLIDS Filed April 6, 1959 6Sheets-Sheet 5 1N VEN TOR. GEORGE HARDE T 'fC/z/QfysSL/CK g g BV Ap/21:43; 0F THE F/RM United States Patent Of dce 3,160,483 Patented Dec.8, 1964 3,160,483 GAS CNTACT F CONVEYED PARTQUIJATE SOLIDS George V.Bardet, Eerlteley, Calif., assigner to MJ. Co., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Apr. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 804,139 1 Claim. (Cl. 34--236)This invention relates to a machine for passing air through solidmaterials which are in the form of discrete particles and morespecifically is an improvement on the machine disclosed and claimed inmy Patent 2,865,109.

In my prior patent a machine was disclosed wherein gas lwas brought intocontact with a finely divided particulate substance wherein the materialwas first subjected to a flow of hot gas and was then rapidly cooled.Said invention provided an apparatus whereby all material passedtherethrough was uniformly treated, i.e., each particle was subjected touniform conditions of time, temperature and air flow. Further, saidmachine provided a device having a high degree of reproducibility sothat large numbers of lots of material could be treated with theassurance that all would be subjected to exactly the same conditions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine having allofthe desirable attributes of the machine of my prior patent.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of simplifiedconstruction which operates substantially without reciprocating partsand wherein the ma terial to be treated is moved in a straight,continuous path.

Another object of this invention is 4to provide a treating machine ofthe class described wherein a series of perforated mesh screen traysmove in one direction through themachine serving as a conveyor for thematerial under treatment and move in the reverse direction serving as anair diffusion means for the air before it is passed through the materialto be treated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a treating device wherein`the treating area is fully occupied by trays of material being treatedso that no air is wasted by passage between trays.

Another object of this invention is to provide a treating device of theclass described wherein a series of trays are filled and means preventsmaterial from getting between adjacent trays.

Another object of this invention is to provide a treating machine of theclass described having a simple and effective discharge mechanism.

Other objects will be apparent from the balance of the specification.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a machine embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan View of the machine shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a side View, partly in section of the mechanism for feedingthe material onto the trays on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detail view in section of the lower portion ofFIGURE 3 showing the mechanism by which material is prevented frompassing between two adjacent trays.

FIGURE 5 is a side sectional View of the inlet end of the machine. i

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a view of the discharge mechanism of the machine on the line7-7 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE S is a perspective view of one of the trays usedto conveymaterial through .the machine.

FIGURE 9 is a section on line 9 9 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a section on the line 10--10 of FIG- URE 8. f

FIGURE 1l isan enlarged side elevation from point- 11 of FIGURE 8.

Turning now to a description of the machine by reference characters, andreferring particularly to FIGURES l and 2 the machine is provided with asupporting framework structure, generally designated 12 having mountedthereon an elongated chamber 14 having removable side Walls 13 and top15. Mounted under the chamber 14 is a tapered airduct 16 which is infree communication with the chamber 14. Mounted at one end of theairduct 16 is a `suitable heater 18. for heating air to the desiredtreatment temperature. The heater 18 receives air from the blower 19which is driven by the motor 21. Mounted above the chamber 14 is aseries of air outlet ducts 20 which lead to a header 22 which isconnected to pipe 23 which in turn leads to a suction fan 24 driven bymotor 25 which fan has a discharge outlet 26. Thus, the chamber 14receives air from blower 19 and air is drawn therefrom by the suctionfan 24; in this way a strong current of air is produced through thechamber 14.

At the discharge end of the chamber 14, and inV partial communicationtherewith, as is later described in detail, is a second chamber 23generally like the chamber 14 except that the lower portion thereof asat 30 is made of an air permeable mesh rather than having the solidwalls of the chamber 14. A suction fan 32 driven by a suitable motor 34draws fresh or ambient air through/- themesh 30 to cool the materialinthe trays and discharges it through a stack 36.

Mounted for rotation on the framework are three shafts designated 38, 40and 42. Each of these shafts has a pair of sprockets designated 44, 46and 48 respectively. The

sprockets 44 and 46 are of the same size while they sprockets 4S areconsiderably smaller in size as will be later explained in detail.Around each of the two sets of sprockets formed by the sprockets 44, 46and 48 on each side of the machine is trained an endless chain, each ofwhich has been designated 50. The chains 50 carry between them a seriesof trays 52 and pass through the chambers 14 and 28. The exactconstruction of the trays 52 and their manner offastening to theV chains50 will be hereinafter described in detail. The shaft 40 is providedvwith a drive wheel 54 to which is connected a suitable motor, not shownso that the shaft can be rotated. As .the

' shaft 40 rotates, an endless procession of trays is pulled through thechamber 14, into the chamber 28, over the sprockets 46 and 48, back intothe chamber 28, then into the chamber 14 and then over the sprockets 44for a repetition of the path of travel.

For the purpose of feeding the particulate material onto the trays, afeeder, is provided which is shown in FIG-` URES l and 2 and shown indetail in FIGURES 3 `and 4. The feeder has a hopper 56 for receiving asuitable quantity of material and has an opening 58 at the bottomthereof. The opening 58 is provided with a sliding gate 60 so that theflow from the hopper 56 may be controlled to any desired degree.Material passing through the opening 58 falls onto the vibrating table62 which is provided with an electromechanical vibrator 64 the purposeof which is to distribute the material evenly. The material passes fromthe vibrating table 64 onto the feed dis-Y tributor 66. The feeddistributor, which extends for the width of the machine has a seriesl ofbaffles 68'Vtherein which slow the fall ofthe material and thus preventitV The =rmaterial then falls through the diverter gate mechanismgenerally designated from bouncing on the trays.

'70. The function of the diverter gate mechanism is to prevent any ofthe material from falling between two adjacent trays. The bottom of thediverter gate mechnism has two discharge openings 80 and S2. Normally hediverter gate 7,8 is in the position shownin solid line o that thematerial will be discharged from the opening 0. However, at the time atray edge approaches the ipening 80, the gate 'is Vmoved to the positionshown i dot-dash lines, whereupon the material is discharged rom theopening 82; as soon as the space between trays :as passed from under theopening 82, the gate is rrestored o the position shown in solid lines.The gate 78 is actuted by the solenoid '79 which is energized by amicrowitch 81 (FIGURE 11) which contacts the tray edges;

his may be located at any convenient point in the line.v

ly the use of the mechanism described, an even layer yf the particulatematerial is spread onto the bottom of ach of the trays and no materialis permitted -to fail beween adjacent trays.

The trays generally designated 52 and which are shown 1 FIGURES 3, 9, 10and 11 have a rectangular frame, referably of stainless steel 84. Inaddition to the frame roper, suitablefbracing 86 is employed to keep thebot- Jm of the tray substantially dat. The bottom of the tray i coveredwith a suitable mesh S7 the size of which is elected to retain thematerial under treatment. The dges of the tray are preferably rounded asis shown in |`IGURE 9 and l0, particularly if a food product is beingandled. The edges of the tray extend downward as at S forming a solidsupport for the trays. The trays 52 re supported between the chains Stbby'attaching the cen- :r of the tray to two adjacent link pins oneachchain. `he fastening is achieved by attaching a biock 90 between voadjacent pins 92, on the chain 50- and' to this block olting a IU-shapedmember 94 which is welded to the ide of the tray. Thus the trays areheld rigidly by two djacent pins of the roller chain but only at .thecenter 'of 1e tray. To support the edges of adjacent trays, a memer 96is attached to two adjacent pins 98. To this memer 96 is attached aU-shaped bar 108 which extends the In FIGURE there is shown the path oftravel, partlyv 1 dot-dash lines, of thetrays at the entrance end of theirachine. Note that during turning, the trays are held nly near thecenter thereof and are completely free from Y 1e iU-shaped bars 100. Atthe discharge end of the mahine,r a somewhat different system is usedsince itis dered that the trays be given a sudden turning movement 1order. that the content of the trays will be discharged s close aspossible to a desired point. For this purpose,

1e auxiliary sprocket 48 (FIGURE 7)l is employed which i much smallerthan the sprockets 44 and '46. As is iown in FTGURE 7,'the tray is givena rapid turning lovement so that the contents are rapidly discharged 1tothe hopper 102 while passing over the sprocket 48.

To support the trays as they pass( throughthe machine, 1e machine hastwo pairs of rails 104 uponwhich the allersltld ofthe chain ride. Thus,the trays are kept sub- :antially level throughout their path of travelin .both irections through the machine. n Y l To prevent loss of air atthe discharge and inlet ends arachesv chamber 198 has only a smallopening 110 therein which barely allows the tray to clear solthat thereis little loss.

No special precaution is necessary at this point since l 1 most or theair would have passed through a tray Aand therefore would be dischargedinto theY atmosphere y anyway. To prevent loss of air which hasbeenfreshly f in FIGURE 6 and merely consists of an elongated tube- A likestructure having walls 114 which conform as close` vwhichlittle air islost. lthe wall 116 separating chamber 14 from chamber 28 ly aspossibley to the shape of the chain and the trays carried thereby,creating la long narrow passage through Similarly, at the j dischargeend,

has only a small opening 118 therein and the tray entry is provided withatunnel 120 which is of exactly ythe same Vconfiguration as the tunnel112.

' The machine thus described is capable of treating a particulatematerial under conditions whereby the mai terial is trst subjected to ablast of hot air and is then rapidly cooled and discharged 'into asuitable container. The machine is almost completely free ofreciprocating f parts and requires a 'minimumfof maintenance andsupervision.V

I claim: s l

A machine of Vthe class described vcomprising a-iirst elongated chamberhaving a tapered duct located under said chamber; a second chamberhaving means yfor drawing cool air upwardly therethrough, saidvirst andsecond chambers being adjacentto each other; forming along i continuouschamber; la pair of n parallelendless VchainsV i wholly ,within saidlong continuous-chamber, each of said chains being supported Vby mainsprockets vat opposite ends of the long continuous chamber, one end ofsaid long continuouschamber being designated the filling end and one endbeing designated the discharge end, said pair of parallel chainssupporting therebetween a series of trays having perforated bottoms,said trays moving in one'direction forming an upper path and'moving' inthe opposite direction forming a lower path; means for filling trays onsaid upper path; means for propelling said endless chainsvthrough saidlong continuous cham-l ber; suction means for drawing hot air throughsaid duct and upwardly through said trays whereby the lower trays act asan air-diiusion means for the` air before it l'is Vpassed through the.material onsaid uppertray's; and auxiliary sprockets over which thechains pass at theV `discharge end of said long continuous chamber, said`auxiliary sprockets being ofl smallidiameter whereby the s well as topreventmixing between the chambers 14 i nd 28, certain battles and`tunnels are employed, 'At ie entrance of the machine,'as the trays Vpassinto the liamber 14 (see FlGURE 5),Vthe front wall of the trays aregiven a sudden turning movement as they pass over the auxiliarysprockets.

References Cited in the tile of this patent f UNITED STATES PATENTSFOREIGNV PATENTS Germany Mar. 18, 1943

